Reenactment of Vicki Hall's Fresno Sleezo, 1970 (2024)

Reenactment of Vicki Hall's Fresno Sleazo, 1970

University Library Gallery, March 7, 2024

John Klaiber in Fresno Sleezo (2024)

The 2024 performance of Fresno Sleezo on-campus of California State University took place in the University Library Gallery amongst the She Laughs Back: Feminist Wit in 1970s Bay Area Art exhibition. This one-time-only performance is based on Vicki Hall's original performance art piece that took place at Fresno State in the 1970's. Despite this, the show is all its own. Hall enthused this Fresno Sleezo is a completely new art piece due to its contemporary experience, actors, and audience. I was able to see this performance in person. The costumes that Heather Schlesinger's character by John Klaiber's character wear were inspired by Edward Hopper's paintings; Hall believes that the creation of the costrumes are just as much a part of the process as the performance. We witnessed a series of costume changes, the chaining and shooting of Schlesinger's character by Klaiber's character with a toy gun, and rummaging of varying props on the floors and walls. By the end, many audience members, myself included, wondered what the symbolism behind the performance meant to themselves, the performers, and to Vicki Hall. 

Vicki Hall (Right), stands next to performers John Klaiber (Left) and Heather Schlesinger (Center)

I got the chance to ask Hall if, as a producer of these performance pieces, she has a preference for whether or not she is a performer. As, in this reenactment, she was not on the stage, but viewed it from the side. She said that as a performer, you have a sense of control, but things happen that even the performer doesn't expect. At some point, the performer has to relinquish that sense of control. Through this performance, as a viewer not a performer, Hall is relinquishing the sense of control and power she would have held as performer on stage during her earlier performances. 

Hall emphasized throughout her responses to questions following the performance ideas of power structures and dynamics, as well as artistic processes from the conception to performance of Fresno Sleezo. Audience interaction and dynamic, location, and most every aspect that differs from that original performance in the '70s provided Hall with a sense of originality in this performance, giving it its own identity. I thought the performance was intriguing to watch, though less shocking than its predecesor (I would imagine). Though there were many interpretations of what the performance could be, Hall claims that the intention was to showcase that Schlesinger's character was the one holding the power all along. 

Link to CSUS University Galleries' recording of Vicki Hall's 2024 Fresno Sleezo.